6 Maelstrom: Dating
by illmatar
Summary: Warning: Contains HUMOR. Magnus humor. PART 6! No real mature content this time. Some language but mostly marked M for consistency with the rest of the story. Ultra Magnus, Marissa Fairborne, Rodimus Prime, Optimus Prime, Elita One
1. Chapter 1

**Maelstrom 6**

**Dating: Part 1**

Author's note: This story is part of a LONG series called Maelstrom. It is strictly Gen. 1 - sorry, but that was all that was out when I started writing back in the late 1980's. It began as a fan-publication so the first chapters are in the form of a comic book! If you have not read the nine original **Maelstrom Comics** and the preceding text stories, I strongly suggest you do. This is a complex universe. They can be found at http// illmatar. deviantart. com (I have put double spaces between the addy here or FF . Net eats the link.) The comics and art which accompanies this series are there...and believe me I am a better artist than writer.

**Most chapters of this series contain strong language and violence. Rated M for adult themes! Really! Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Critiques adored!**Even worse - this one contains HUMOR. My advise - run while you still can!

"GET HIM TO MED-BAY! **NOW!**" Optimus roared over the communicator.

Springer and Blurr had no idea what was going on, but they really didn't need Optimus' panicked cry to motivate them. Rodi's inert, grey form was motivation enough. Blurr had Rodimus by the ankles almost before Springer had a solid grip on his armpits. The triple-changer started off in the lead, back-pedaling as fast as he could, but soon ended up following an impatient Blurr as they struggled with Rodimus' weight down the halls of Metroplex.

The young Prime had been there (they thought) for a routine inspection when he unexpectedly shut-down. Rodimus was in fact there for inspections, but they were hardly routine. He was there to check the security systems he'd installed, and he was there to make note of the individuals who had been positively scanned for conversion.

Magnus had protested when Rodimus insisted on doing these inspections without the City Commander being present. Rodimus had silenced those protests with a single question.

"Magnus, do you want Metroplex to be defenseless if you get Converted?" Rodimus had asked, arching an eyebrow.

Magnus had growled softly. He knew what Rodimus was saying. If Magnus was taken for Conversion, everything he knew about his city would be the Jabez's to exploit. He had very reluctantly surrendered although it seriously aggravated him to have things going on in Metroplex he didn't have direct knowledge of. He hadn't been able to go down quietly as a result.

"What happens if you get Converted, Rodimus?" Magnus had asked challengingly.

Rodimus had smiled. "You're getting better at lying, Magnus...."

"I've been getting lots of practice," Magnus had interrupted.

"...but you still need to work on it a bit," Rodimus had finished with a grin. "Don't even try to pretend you don't already have plans for that contingency. I know you and Optimus too well."

Magnus had given his younger leader a thin lipped smile of his own with just a slight evil twist to it.

"Uh-huh," Rodimus had said. "Now go play in the shuttle bay. I checked that when I arrived."

"Just don't mess anything up, Hot Rod," Magnus had said as he left.

Rodimus had been checking in briefly with his partner on Cybertron when the inspections were done. On the surface, it looked like normal business to the Autobots in the communications room. The conversation had been dully typical, with brief flashes of Rodi humor thrown in now and then. In reality, Rodimus had been transmitting coded information under the cover of more mundane conversation which would then be sent to Vector Sigma for analysis.

Everything was going well enough until Elita had come into the room behind her mate. She had listened in politely for a while, and greeted Rodimus when they paused long enough to give her an opening. She was careful to be vague in the presence of Autobots not cleared to know of Rodimus' mental link with a human mutant.

"Hello Rodimus. How are you? Are you still having problems with that shield you've been working on?"

The other Autobots present assumed Elita meant some kind of new defensive equipment. Rodimus knew exactly what she was referring to though - his link with Lancer and the shield they were trying to hold between them. He had about a second to feel shocked and disgusted before the shield tore.

Elita didn't know the damage and pain she caused with that simple question. If she had she would have been mortified and appalled. She was simply trying to encourage Rodimus to confront his pain instead of suppressing it - a habit he had taken past all the bounds of sanity recently. What she didn't realize was that the reference to the shield forced Rodimus to think about it , and all it implied, directly. Considering the shield and what lay beyond the shield weakened the unnatural barrier and tore it. It was a wide tear because Rodimus had been taken by surprise and he threw life-force at it in a heedless rush.

The diversion of so much of his energy had caused the "seizure" which had Springer and Blurr carrying him down the hall in an awkward frenzy. The roar of an angry engine told them Optimus had alerted Magnus and he nearly ran them down in his rush to reach them. He braked, leaving skid-marks on the pristine floors he so cherished. He didn't even say a word - he didn't need to. They carried Rodimus' unbending grey body onto Magnus' carrier section and held on for dear life while he headed for Med-Lab.

They had just gotten Rodimus on the examining table when he suddenly came to. One second he was a colorless, motionless corpse and the next he was back - color, awareness, stubbornness, and all.

First Aid groaned in part relief, part frustration. He was glad to see Rodimus come to, but the medic had yet to examine Rodimus DURING a seizure to get a clear diagnosis. All the tests First Aid had done so far had turned up nothing and yet the episodes continued. The medic was desperate to find out what was wrong and he had missed a chance to find out by mere seconds.

Rodimus blinked in surprise to find himself in Med - Lab.

"Uh......Hi First Aid," he said.

"Oh be quiet and let me look at you!" First Aid said brusquely. Of all the senior staff, gentle First Aid worked with Rodimus the least and it said something that he was frustrated enough to be rude with Rodimus. It was First Aid's nature to be as careful with his patient's feelings as he was with their bodies.

It was not Magnus'.

"Get out you two," Magnus said to Springer and Blurr.

"What's WRONG with him?" Springer asked, frightened, over Blurr's unintelligible stammering.

"He's an idiot. What else? Get out!" Magnus said, herding them towards the door by advancing his bulk ominously.

"But..." Springer tried.

"OUT!" Magnus shouted. They retreated. He locked the door, and whirled on Rodimus who was getting to his feet despite First Aid's protests. The medic was actually trying, with half-hearted desperation, to physically push Rodimus back down. Magnus was gearing up to give his leader a chewing out like he hadn't seen since their ranks were reversed when Rodimus cut him off with an unbelievable assault of his own.

"OK you two! I don't know how you pulled this shit off, and quite frankly I don't care! I'm have had enough of your damned games!"

"what....." Magnus said, unable to even put enough inflection in his response to make it sound like a question. First Aid couldn't even get that much out. He merely blinked, stupefied and not at all certain he was awake. This certainly seemed like some kind of nightmare to him.

"If you and Optimus have come up with this scheme to try to convince me I'm losing my mind...."

"WHAT MIND?!" Magnus interjected.

Rodimus looked at him reproachfully, the way one looks at a rude child and continued without dignifying Magnus' outburst by acknowledging it. "....then it won't work! And if you want to go ahead and declare me unfit for duty just go right ahead and do it! I will probably be more effective against the Jabez on my own anyway!"

"Rodimus you can't possibly be serious....." First Aid began.

"Of course I'm serious! I could devote all of my attention to them instead of all of these petty distractions!"

"No! I mean you can't really believe we would stage this! Rodi! You're malfunctioning! You may even be dying!" First Aid cried.

"I'm fine!" Rodimus said.

"You're stupid," Magnus said.

"I'm getting seriously fed up with the insults Major General!" Rodimus said.

"Good. Quit earning them," Magnus said. He watched Rodi's eyes flare green and for once didn't care to much about it. He crossed his arms and looked challengingly at the ailing assassin. Rodimus glared at him, obviously seething, and then brushed rudely past Magnus as he left the Med-Lab. Magnus didn't even try to stop him.

"We've got to get him back here!" First Aid cried.

"For what? Another round of tests that turn up nothing? We know what the problem is First Aid, and more tests aren't the answer! We moved him to a different room for Cybertron's sake, and he makes up fairy tales to explain it! If little things like logic and common sense aren't going to wake him up, another series of fruitless tests is only going to give him more excuses not to believe us. He needs to admit there's a problem, and for some reason he won't. THAT'S what we need to discover - the reason he won't admit it. If we can solve that maybe then we can get him to listen! In the mean time, we'll try to be faster getting him here the next time he has a seizure."

First Aid was obviously unhappy about this but he had to agree with Magnus. Whatever was wrong with Rodimus wasn't physical, not really. If it had been First Aid knew he would have found and fixed the problem by now. The problem was with the shield Rodimus and Lancer had erected between their minds, and until Rodimus started cooperating there wasn't anything anyone could do about it, short of sedating him and locking him up. First Aid sighed, thinking it might still come to that. However, he wasn't sure if that would help or make things worse. Rodimus' assassin skills would make him very difficult to detain, and the young Prime had every reason to dislike being restrained. Being forcefully restrained by his own friends would be as likely to drive him to continuous flashbacks as anything else.

First Aid's hands shook with frustrated energy. He wanted to do something! It was very hard for him to step back and watch while one of his friends endured visible deterioration. For a medic who fretted over dented lamp-posts, the prospect of looking on while Rodimus suffered was maddening.

x

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x

Ultra Magnus went off to find Rodimus again only to find that he had already blasted off for Cybertron. The City Commander reported what had happened to Optimus who took the news with the kind of calm quiet that told Magnus Prime was livid. Rodimus would be in for a real fight when he got back to Cybertron. That done, Magnus turned his attention to the rest of his work, starting with his messages.

There was the usual assortment of supply and construction requests, the daily reports, requests and information from the local human authorities and his liaisons at EDC. There was also a ridiculous number of files from Marissa - as there had been the day before, and the day before that. Magnus shook his head in amazement. It never failed to astonish him that the EDC Captain somehow managed to pull together enough information on a daily basis that if you printed it all out would stand taller than she did.

Still, this was nothing unusual. She did it all the time. That's what he found so amazing.

However, secreted amongst all the other messages like some kind of bobby-trap there was one that was unusual. He hadn't had one like it since before his name was Ultra Magnus.

An invitation. An invitation to waste time drinking over-charged energon and talking.

In other words, Neon was asking to see him.

Magnus groaned and wondered what was wrong with him that he would rather face Marissa's missing persons lists than a pretty fem-bot who actually wanted to spend time with him for "the pleasure of his company."

He had a lot to do - but some of it really could wait.

He wanted an excuse not to go, but if he was entirely honest with himself he really didn't have one.

Elita's words came back to haunt him - that if he didn't take care to enjoy himself now and then, sooner or later the war would drive him insane.

He waffled. He picked up one file after another, looked at each blankly in turn, shuffled them, sorted them, and sorted them again. In the end all he managed was some elaborate rearranging of the work he had to do. The City Commander found he was just thinking about this dilemma no matter what he tried to start and worrying that it was a dilemma. People were supposed to look forward to this sort of thing weren't they? He wavered some more. Finally, he contacted Neon.

She beamed at him the moment she saw who was calling.

"Ultra Magnus! What a surprise! How have you been?" she said cheerfully.

How can it be a surprise? he wondered, She contacted me! He didn't say anything about it though but addressed her last question instead. "I've been well, thank you. I understand that you would like to arrange a meeting."

Neon laughed, "No need to make it sound so formal Magnus! After all, we're old friends! Do you have time this evening?"

"Provided nothing happens that requires my attention, yes," Magnus said, trying NOT to sound resigned.

"Ooh, my. Aren't we important!?" Neon said in a teasing, flirtatious tone. She leaned her pretty, vapid face nearer to the screen and rested her chin on one lilac-colored hand. "Then it's settled!" she purred, "I'll see you when you get here."

"You don't want to see Earth?" Magnus said, wondering at which point he had agreed to going to Cybertron.

"Eww, no! Earth is too primitive for a civilized evening! I'm sure I'll see it soon enough but right now there's too much going on right here at home!" Neon said decisively.

Magnus wondered why he suddenly felt so offended. "I see," he said.

"Lovely! It's a date!" Neon said. "I'll see you then! Bye-bye!" With that, she shut off the communicator.

Magnus sat stock still in his chair for a good five minutes. "A date?" he finally asked out loud to his empty office. "A date?"

x

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x

At twelve noon sharp there was the usual ring at his door. Marissa waited for him to ask her to come in and noticed at once when it took him a bit longer than usual. She also noticed the somewhat distracted look on his face.

"Hi Magnus! Where's Rodimus? Wasn't he supposed to join us today?"

"He left."

"Why?"

"He had another seizure. We got him as far as Med-Lab before he woke up and he STILL denied having it at all. Even accused us of setting him up. Then he left."

"Magnus, please tell me you're kidding," Marissa started, and then looked at his face again. "You aren't kidding. What are we going to do? This thing is eating him alive!"

"I don't know. I...I'm worried about him Marissa," Magnus said, showing more of his true feelings to her than the rest of his friends. Most of them thought he was merely disgusted with Rodimus.

"We all are Big Guy. In the mean time, let's see what we can do to help him. I've got some new leads. I think I'm getting a better feel for what to look for - most of these look pretty promising," Marissa said. She managed to sound a little predatory as she did so.

Magnus smiled grimly to himself. Marissa was getting better all the time. She was developing a real instinct for slave runners and the operations she tagged for observation were turning out to be slavers or smugglers about thirty percent of the time. Given the number of ships she had to shift through that percentage was absolutely astonishing....and it was rising. Of course it didn't hurt that she threw herself into the work with the enthusiasm of a rabid pit-bull. Marissa found slave runners...annoying.

They went over her findings and Magnus decided her percentage of accurate taggings would probably rise yet again. When they were done, she got ready to take them to Rodimus personally.

"Do you want to meet tonight, Magnus? You look like you could use a talk," Marissa said quietly.

"I...er...I can't." Magnus said.

"More work?" Marissa asked compassionately.

"No. Um...I have. Um. I'm going on a....on a, er, date." Magnus mumbled.

"You're what?!" Marissa cried, dropping her files.

"I'm going on a date," Magnus said, unable to hide his irritation.

"I heard you. I was just....surprised, that's all," Marissa said, hiding her disappointment. To be honest, she was the one who really needed to talk to someone. The idea that the Jabez had engineered the human race had been swelling like a boil in her mind and she needed help to deal with it. She smiled though. She didn't want Magnus to think she wasn't happy for him. After all, what kind of friend wouldn't be happy about him starting a relationship? He had been alone long enough. "Who are you going out with?" she asked.

"An old ...err...girlfriend. One of Elita's team. We knew each other a very long time ago," Magnus said.

"Uh-huh," Marissa prompted, and waited while he stared at her blankly. "Magnus! What's her name?"

"Oh. It's Neon."

"Oh. That's nice. Um....Have a good time!" Marissa said, glad she had profited from Rodimus' example of ready-to-use smiles for all occasions.

"Thank you. See you tomorrow."

"Uh-huh. Tomorrow." Marissa said. She gathered her things and left quickly.

Magnus watched her leave, a little confused by her hurry, and wished for the hundredth time that Neon hadn't ever recognized him.

x

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x

Marissa went back to her office as quickly as she could, her mind in a whirl. She was almost angry, and was disgusted with herself because of it. Magnus had every right to do what he was doing. Every right in the universe! But......but she had counted on him. She needed to talk to him, and he wasn't going to be there. The anger swelled up and she squashed it mercilessly. It wasn't Magnus' fault she was having a breakdown. No. She had the Jabez and those loud-mouthed Quints to blame for that.

Pacing the length of her office restlessly, she tried to burn off some adrenaline and calm down. She looked at every person she met with a new form of cynicism - wondering about their genetic history, and if they were something the Jabez had been hoping for. For a person who had been raised to see life and freedom as cherished miracles, this jaded attitude was particularly painful. She just felt....cheapened. As if her life was not worth more than a plastic figurine - a mass produced facsimile of a person, not really a person. It was a real confidence shaker and Marissa knew she needed to deal with it soon or crack. Maybe that's what happened to poor Rodimus.....

She needed to talk to someone - badly. Unfortunately no one else was available. She couldn't tell her parents or her friends at EDC. Rodimus was having his own terminal meltdown - no help there, and Optimus was too busy obsessing over Rodimus, not that Marissa could picture herself sitting down to chat with Optimus the way she did Magnus. Optimus would listen if she asked him, Marissa knew, but he always seemed to lean towards the philosophical. One of the things Marissa liked about talking to Magnus was that he always got right to the point and gave her practical advice.

Elita might some day prove to be another option - Marissa sensed a great deal of compassion and down-to-earth-wisdom from the female commander, but not yet. Marissa barely knew Elita, and this was just too personal to tell a stranger no matter how kind they seemed. That left Jazz, and he was off on some mission again. It hardly mattered though. Marissa adored Jazz, but didn't view him as a confidant. He always needed to have the music going and it made her feel like he wasn't listening to her even though she knew better. Besides, since the Quint-eradication Jazz was waxing a bit jaded as well. The last thing either of them needed was to drag each other down.

Damn.

Marissa was getting ready to try some of Magnus' chair-throwing therapy when there was a knock at her door. She looked at the electronic "peephole" for her door and groaned aloud. It was Major Richard (call me Bill) List, from EDC's steadily growing public relations division. He had originally been in training with her as an air-jock, but they had both ended up elsewhere even though Marissa actually was a pilot. List had shown talent early for PR and acquisitions and had left his pilot's training unfinished, claiming "those kind of risks are a waste of my talent."

He had made quite a nuisance of himself while they were together though - telling her daily that she wanted to go out with him. Marissa could never be sure that the stout jab she had applied to his gut at the time had convinced him otherwise, but he had left her alone for the few days he remained with her division.

She opened her door reluctantly.

"Captain Fairborne," he said saluting her, even as she did the same.

"Major List," Marissa said. "Is there something I can do for you Sir?"

"Why, yes, Captain, as a matter of fact there is. I heard you'd transferred here and I'm in Autobot City for the next few days. You can help me pass the time by having dinner with me."

For a brief moment Marissa nearly forgot he was now her superior (HA! What he didn't know...!) and socked him in the gut again. Then she stopped herself. She could face an evening alone with her worries or she could let him buy her dinner. Heck. He was handsome enough, with that dark black hair and blue eyes, and he was a Major now. Maybe he'd grown up in the last ten years.

"It would be my pleasure," Marissa said, with a smile.

"Oh, it certainly will," Bill said with a self-satisfied smile. He acted as though her agreement had never been in doubt.

Marissa sighed to herself. Then again, maybe he hadn't grown up at all. She paused long enough to send Magnus a message to tell him where she was going (just in case he needed to reach her of course) and went to go get ready, telling Bill she would meet him at the restaurant at 7 sharp.

x

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x

Five minutes into his date with Neon and Magnus was annoyed. He was already berating his younger self for ever having associated with anything so shallow and dizzy. No wonder he'd been such an idiot as a youngster! Look at his choice in friends! At least, Magnus told himself, he, and his taste in friends had matured.

Neon had not.

He wondered how she'd ever survived, and privately congratulated Elita on pulling this one through.

It wasn't that Neon wasn't intelligent, far from it, she just had the attention span of a sparrow for most things. Only two topics seemed to interest her - Cybertron's renaissance, and "putting the dreary war behind her."

"The Paradronians have such a wonderful sense of space!" she gushed, "It's too bad they are forced to include those unsightly gun-turrets!"

"The Decepticons are still a threat Neon," Magnus reminded her.

"Oh don't be silly. You've defeated them for good, and I just know you'd stop them if they ever tried anything again," Neon said, throwing a sigh in at the end for some reason.

Magnus stared at her. In the past when he was on duty and someone had made a statement like that he always roared for hours about the need to be prepared, and the folly of complacency - and that was before he'd ever heard of the Jabez! These days, anyone who said something of that nature in Magnus' hearing went straight back to basic training.

However this was a date, not duty. He bit back his reply and thanked...he didn't know what to thank, but he was glad she wasn't under his command. Besides, she made it sound like he defeated the 'Cons personally! He wished he was somewhere else.

x

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Marissa wished she were somewhere else...or at least with someone else. Richard may have liked to be called Bill, but in her mind he was already good old Dick. The food was good - they had gone to her favorite restaurant - but she was so irritated her stomach was upset. Finding out humans were Jabez-raised upset her, but this guy was actually making her ill!

"EDC's a good organization," Di...er ...Bill was saying, "but quite frankly it wouldn't matter if it wasn't. I can make people swallow anything. Never underestimate the stupidity of John Q. Public, that's my motto, and it works!"

You can't make me swallow you creepizoid! Marissa thought. She might have said something if he'd given her an opening, but he didn't. She decided not to until dinner was over. If he was going to spoil her favorite restaurant for her for all time, then the least he could do would be to pick up the bill. Instead she let him go on and on about himself, wearing the most attentive, unintelligent expression she could contrive and blinking with doe-eyed wonderment in time with his ever more outrageous claims. Their waiter got one look at her face and nearly dropped the tray - HE could see the sarcastic gleam in her eye a mile away, and was struggling not to laugh in Oblivious Bill's face. Marissa couldn't resist making it worse by winking at him, and then nodding enthusiastically while her date went on to claim ties to the White House AND the Kremlin. The waiter, poor trembling thing, carefully refilled their drinks without spilling a drop and then headed for the back as fast as possible without actually running.

Marissa smiled to herself when she heard the laughter from behind the kitchen doors. She smiled even more when most of the staff found an excuse to come by their table that evening. Her faith in humanity, and certainly her favorite restaurant restored, Marissa memorized everything Bill was saying - she had a plan.

x

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x

Magnus hardly heard what Neon was saying. His mind had called a tactical retreat, and was currently wandering as far from Neon's rambling as it could go without actually taking his body with it. Now and then it would return to check the time and see when exactly it could retrieve the body and make a clean get-away with it. Finding no openings, it would retreat again, fearful such idiocies might be contagious. It wondered what Marissa was doing and how in the hell Neon could possibly think any of this held any interest for him.

x

x

x

"Really?" Marissa purred, "You defeated three whole Decepticons all by yourself? Why wasn't it in the news?" As if I didn't know the participants of each and every Decepticon engagement in the last ten years, you moron! Who the hell do you think you're talking to? She smiled with sickening sweetness even as she thought that and batted her lashes encouragingly while their server gave her desperate looks for mercy.

Bill went on with the business of digging his own grave with admirable zeal, making his date wish she had a recording device on hand. Proof of these outrageous lies could get the officer court-martialed, but Marissa was going to have to settle for embarrassing him.

"Well, erm...I don't like to boast of such things," said the Major. "Are you alright waiter? That's a nasty cough!"

"I'm fine Sir. Would the lady like anything right now?" their server said, looking decidedly red about the ears.

"A glass of red wine would be lovely," Marissa said, indicating the most expensive vintage on the menu. She had already sampled most of the pricier items on the menu. If she had to listen to horse-shit all night she at least planned to eat well.

"I've noticed your modesty all evening," Marissa said seductively, "It must be difficult being someone like you."

"Oh, it is I assure you. I think we need to request a new waiter. Ours seems to be very ill. Heads will roll if I get contaminated by that peon's pestilence!"

And this is the tough guy who permanently 'took out three Sweeps with a hand laser! Marissa thought, once again sharing a look with her waiter as he gave her her wine. She also noticed most of the conversation at the surrounding tables had fallen to nothing, while Oblivious Bill provided a floor show for all of them. Geez Dick, are you this much fun everywhere you go, and do you even know what a Sweep is?

"We certainly can't afford a man of your importance getting sick!" Marissa said, plainly appalled by the very concept, "Who would save us from those nasty orange Sweeps?!"

"Those flames just ask to be blasted don't they?" Oblivious Bill said in what he thought was a seductive tone, and confirming Marissa's lowest estimate of his intelligence. The man didn't know enemies from allies! This! A EDC Major! Even her converted superior showed that much awareness!

She smiled though, "I'd definitely have to agree with that Di..Richard," she said. This guy might not know an Autobot when he saw one, but Rodimus' appearance had made some kind of impression on the man's watery brain. Marissa grinned inwardly. That's what you got for having a paint job like a target - even the morons remembered you. Giving Rodi's current moronic behavior, Marissa found it only fitting. She wondered how Magnus' date was going , and sighed with disgust and a little subconscious jealousy.

It had to be going better than this.

"Call me Bill," said her date.


	2. Chapter 2

**Maelstrom 6**

**Dating: Part 2**

Author's note: This story is part of a LONG series called Maelstrom. It is strictly Gen. 1 - sorry, but that was all that was out when I started writing back in the late 1980's. It began as a fan-publication so the first chapters are in the form of a comic book! If you have not read the nine original **Maelstrom Comics** and the preceding text stories, I strongly suggest you do. This is a complex universe. They can be found at http// illmatar. deviantart. com (I have put double spaces between the addy here or FF . Net eats the link.) The comics and art which accompanies this series are there...and believe me I am a better artist than writer.

**Most chapters of this series contain strong language and violence. Rated M for adult themes! Really! Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Critiques adored!**

Magnus wondered how Marissa's date was going and felt something like rage. It had to be going better than this! What an utter waste of valuable time, not to mention high quality energon! He hadn't smiled and nodded this much since the last Earth/Cybertronian trade conferences! Most of what Neon said made no impact on his mind at all, while he bobbed his head like a sun-struck goose every time there was a brief pause. He hadn't contributed a word to the "conversation" in literally over an hour. Would she ever run out of things to blather about? Would she ever notice he wasn't listening? He had given up even trying to hide his total lack of interest some time ago and she still showed no signs of slowing down. In the mean time he worried about the Quint eradication, about the Jabez, about a thousand little things that needed doing at Metroplex, about his ailing leader, and about Marissa's evening.

His chronometer moved with tortuous lack of enthusiasm toward the time he'd told Neon he needed to go. He had deliberately made that pretty early...not nearly early enough though! Rodimus, I think I finally met a person who would benefit from Conversion! Where are you with your crazy plans when I need you? You always pick the most inconvenient moments to turn my schedule on its ear, and now you're nowhere to be seen! It's deliberate! I know it is!

x

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x

Rodimus was currently standing stark still in Prime's office - the result of another seizure. He had been holding his own against Optimus, right up until Elita asked, in innocent curiosity, what Lancer had thought of his stubborn streak. The resulting tear nearly rent the shield in two and Rodimus was flooded with a panic fueled rage from the other side. Whatever Lancer might have thought of his stubborn streak was completely eclipsed by terror that he would discover...

something, and he nearly killed himself in an effort to ease that terror and seal the breach. He shoved so much of his energy at the rupture in his mind that his vitals nearly couldn't restart when he was finished.

x

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"So," Bill said in a husky voice Marissa supposed was meant to sound sexy, but really made her want to offer him a lozenge, "are we going to my place, or yours?"

Marissa couldn't help it. Her control finally snapped. Not all the months of working with a Convert that made her skin crawl, not all the years of putting up with Magnus, Rodi, Grimlock, Blurr and all the other loonies gave her that much strength of will.

She laughed in his face. Scornfully. This of course set off all those who had been waiting with baited breath to see how she was going to handle him. The server at the next table dropped an entire tray of food - although somehow the patrons didn't seem to mind. They had all been watching Marissa's performance with admiration.

Oblivious Bill looked around the room to see what was so funny. Finding nothing, he returned to the business at hand - namely getting the woman he thought was eating out of his hand into bed. He reached under the table and put a hand on her thigh as far up as he could reach without tipping the table.

Marissa's control, already broken, wouldn't have held for that anyway. Belting him was her first response but she knew it could potentially get her thrown straight out of EDC. This creep wasn't worth the hassle of a hearing, even though she doubted he could actually get her discharged with the entire Autobot command staff standing behind her.

Nevertheless, she had no reservations about throwing a fifty dollar glass of wine right into his smug, stupid face, and all over his oh-so pristine silk suit. She surged to her feet, glaring with all the annoyance, pain, and strength of will she had been collecting for weeks. At that moment, she looked like a gorgon - beautiful enough to kill with her stare. Oblivious Bill gawked.

"Sweeps are blue-grey you incompetent buffoon! And the last person that killed one is the guy with the flames, who happens to be Rodimus Prime! If you are going to lie, at least know who your blasted allies are! Good Night, dick!" she said, in a controlled but forceful voice she had learned from watching Optimus ream Rodimus.

There was a moment of dead quiet in the entire restaurant.

Then the applause began.

Marissa blinked in surprise, and smiled a little at the clapping people around her on all sides. She gave a short, sarcastic half-bow, turned on her heel, and strode out like a queen. As she passed the front window outside, she had the pleasure of seeing their server hand the dripping Major the bill with a small bow of his own. She grinned vindictively all the way home.

x

x

x

Magnus was beginning to wonder if boredom could induce coma. There were only a few minutes before his scheduled reprieve but the last ten had been the longest of his long life. No tedious mission, no anxious wait for rescue, no speech of Optimus Prime's had ever dragged on so long.

Neon said something that he sensed wanted an affirmative response. As he had for the last few hours, he simply said "Uh-huh", instead of "Uh-uh" which is what he did when he sensed she wanted a negative response. He didn't actually hear a word she said.

She yipped with glee over something as she had several times over the course of the evening. She had yipped over their newly rebuilt surroundings. She had yipped when their high-grade energon had arrived. She had yipped when some Paradronian performers had started up with that spiritless noise they called music.

This particular yip seemed a tad bit more enthusiastic than the others and he wondered briefly what it was in relation to. Then again, he decided he was probably better off not knowing. He felt as though one more annoyance would either cause a permanent shut-down in his CPU or force him to strangle her.

He was a BIT more concerned when she bounced out of her seat to hug him. She suddenly had his full, stunned attention, but she giggled like a child, waved at him, and bounced out. He heard her transform and speed away the second she was outside, leaving him blinking in confusion and plunking down a sizable amount of credit to cover their tab.

Oh well. At least she was gone. He sighed to himself again, once again wondering what was wrong with him. He felt a bit of rare envy for Optimus and Elita. They suited each other so well and made such a good team. He knew for a fact Optimus was better off for Elita's return. Even in the face of Rodimus' worsening condition and the Quint eradication Optimus was holding up. Magnus wondered, briefly, if that would have been the case if Elita hadn't been found.

Hell, even Rodimus had found someone who apparently loved him and who he obviously loved in return. Enough to die for apparently. True to form the kid was going about things in the craziest way possible, but at least Rodi was capable of feeling that emotion. Maybe Jazz was right. Maybe all the years of war and suppressing his own heart had turned Magnus into a callous bastard incapable of real emotion. Maybe he had killed his own soul.

Magnus toyed despondently with the remainder of his energon. Five minutes ago he hadn't been able to wait to escape. Now he lacked desire to even move. Finally though he forced himself to get up and head back to Earth where Metroplex was waiting. He wished Marissa was coming by so he could talk to her, but she wasn't.

x

x

x

Marissa paced the length of her quarters and seethed. Even Magnus' chair throwing therapy wasn't helping. She had been pleased with herself most of the way home but now she was just bitter. Why did anyone have to be such a creep?

At first glance if you looked at Major Richard List as a bunch of simple facts he seemed perfect for her. Career military - EDC no-less. Handsome certainly. Possessing some form of intelligence or he would never have succeeded at passing EDC's training or kept his post. Unfortunately it was all arrayed under an ego so overwhelming that it eclipsed any positive quality he might have ever had. She cursed him and was suddenly overwhelmingly lonely.

How she wished he had been suited for her.

She still needed someone to talk to - someone with the strength of spirit to handle all the horrors she had seen calmly and with the insight to help her manage. Normally, she turned to Magnus for such things but as her current predicament indicated she needed a contingency plan. Magnus had his own life to lead and she was using him too often. It wasn't fair to him. True, he asked her advice as often as she did his but if he was out looking for a mate.... She wanted to smack herself for feeling jealous - obviously she could never fulfill that role for him and she shouldn't feel inadequate or put down just because he was looking for someone who could.

She was guilty of as much arrogance as Oblivious Bill if she thought a mere human's friendship would be enough support of someone like Magnus.

Which led to another problem. She was spoiled too. How could any mere human hope to compete with the standard's she had come to expect? She suddenly realized that was part of why she turned down so many dates - only a moment of (yes say it to yourself Marissa) desperation had gotten her to go out with Bill in the first place. He certainly wasn't the first or even nearly the best offer she'd had recently. It was just that she would look at the poor man in question and ask herself if he could handle her situation. Could he face the reality of the Jabez? Would he be able to provide enough support – - both intellectual and emotional?

She had been telling herself she was doing these men a favor by turning them down and not drawing them into her precarious existence, but now she realized she had been judging them too harshly.

How could any human with a spare number of decades of life be as mature, as insightful, or as strong as what she was used to? After all, she was used to Ultra Magnus!

Rather an unfair measuring stick isn't it Captain Fairborne? she thought in disgust at herself. If you keep setting that standard for yourself you going to end up old and alone. You can't expect regular guys to be like Ultra Magnus. Heck, even amongst the Autobots no one is like Ultra Magnus! Very few people have as much courage and dedication as Magnus! And you'll never meet anyone who just understands you like Ultra Magnus! And then there's...wait a minute.

Marissa froze in her tracks, her eyes widening, unfocused, in the darkness of her quarters. She stared into herself and saw truth. She was too honest to deny what she found there but the insight brought no satisfaction or peace. Instead, it told her she was in for a lifetime of pain she would never escape.

She made no sound and the tears which fell down her cheeks were a mere token - more symbolic of her despair than a release of it.

Of all the dumb things people do to fuck up their lives Marissa Fairborne, only you would be dumb enough to fall in love with an Autobot!

x

x

x

The next morning the first piece of news she got while heading for her office was that Ultra Magnus had chosen a mate. For life.

She headed for the bathroom and got very privately sick.

x

x

x

The next morning also found Rodimus back at Metroplex. He had confirmed some of Marissa's reports and needed Magnus' help in setting up some of the slave runners for a very permanent close of business. All of Cybertron was buzzing with excited news about the City Commander and Rodimus tried as hard as he could to find energy to be happy for his friend, even if the news did seem a bit odd and sudden to Rodimus. Rodi hoped this wasn't just the result of a sudden fit of fear or loneliness on Magnus' part. It would be terrible if it was just some kind of knee-jerk response to all that had happened to the City Commander recently.

On the other hand, Rodimus knew love had a way of hitting you blind-side... No. Think about something else.

In any case, Rodimus hoped the happy news would divert Magnus' likely anger at Rodimus for the argument of the previous day. Between that and the later fight with Optimus and Elita Rodimus was feeling as wrung out as it they had literally grabbed him by both ends and twisted. He used his assassin's skills to get into Metroplex just to avoid having to greet anyone in the halls. Once he arrived at Magnus' office he paused, leaning his forehead on the wall next to the door. He shut his optics a moment, and tried to compose himself using calming tactics Lancer used to control her demon.....

Well. That didn't help, did it? OK, Hot Rod, just give me a smile to put on will you? Thanks. No wait. That one's thin even for you! Try again. OK. Better. Now stand up straight, step lively, and knock.

"Come in," Magnus said, readying the laser in case the visitor wasn't who he pretended to be.

"Hiya Major General! What's up?"

"Rodimus," Magnus answered in a tone which indicated acknowledgment of Rodi's presence but not welcome if he was going to be silly.

"Isn't there something you'd like to tell me?" Rodimus asked, promptingly, grinning.

"Thousand of things, but since you never listen I don't see the point in trying to enlighten you," Magnus growled.

"Oh, don't bother trying to keep me in the dark. I have sources! And even if I didn't, its all over Cybertron anyway! Congrats!" Rodimus said, laughing. (He was proud of the laugh -- it was one of his best under very difficult circumstances.)

"Congrats? For what?" Magnus said, noticing Rodimus' smile falter a little with confusion.

"Why for your engagement to Neon of course!" Rodimus blurted, not understanding why Magnus wanted to play ignorant. Rodimus was glad he had lots of practice dodging lances from when....he was glad he could duck fast - Magnus' monitor exploded right where his head had been.

"THAT'S NOT FUNNY YOU LITTLE INGRATE! AND AFTER WHAT YOU PULLED YESTERDAY I'M AMAZED EVEN _**YOU**_HAVE THAT MUCH GALL!" Magnus raged. He yanked a drawer out of his desk and threw it at Rodimus for emphasis.

Rodimus dodged lightly away (as some part of Magnus had known he would), but the surprised look on Rodi's face seemed disturbingly genuine. For Rodimus' part, he was beginning to come to some very disturbing realizations - for one Magnus wasn't much of an actor...oh no!

"WAIT!" Rodimus said. Magnus paused an instant and then threw the chair anyway. Rodimus hopped aside. "You really don't know?!"

"I know you've gone too far this time Rodimus Prime! You are evil! You must be destroyed!" Magnus hissed.

"Magnus! I didn't make this up! Everyone on Cybertron thinks you exchanged vows with Neon last night! She's claiming you as her mate everywhere she goes!"

This time the desk went flying. Everyone in Metroplex cringed. The hollow boom was a rarely heard, but dreaded noise people talked about in hushed whispers even in the privacy of their quarters, as though to speak of it out loud was to bring the doom upon them. Now why would a person who just claimed a life-mate be in such a rotten mood?

Rodimus looked at the murdered furniture on the floor and the back up at his friend who he could just make out through the dust.

"Let me get this straight before I find a way to end your blight of a life....." Magnus grated. "You claim, that, that frivolous construct is saying we're _mated_?"

"Magnus, you've got to believe me! I didn't have anything to do with this one! I thought it seemed a bit sudden for you, but that maybe you had just gotten it bad, or that...."

"Shut ... up....." Magnus said quietly. Normally Rodimus teased Magnus when the City Commander forgot himself and gave him orders, but the young Prime somehow knew someone would die right now if he did.

"I'm going to kill you if you don't tell me you're kidding..." Magnus said flatly.

"You'll kill me if I DO tell you I'm kidding! Magnus! Don't you even like her? She's going around saying it's love and..." Rodimus trailed off on his own this time. He wondered if his own face had looked like that when the Jabez had him. For his part Magnus was realizing that this insanity didn't have Rodi's feel to it. On the other hand, it did seem exactly like Neon....

"Oh no! Magnus! I'm so sorry! How could she get the idea that you're mated? OH! Magnus! I approved her for transfer to Metroplex!"

"You ... did... what?"

"I DIDN'T KNOW! How should I know someone would claim you for a mate when it isn't true? I didn't know she was suicidal!"

"SHE'S NOT SUICIDAL! YOU'RE SUICIDAL! SHE'S JUST STUPID!" Magnus screamed.

"Oh...well, then I guess I am still pretty good at reading people because she seemed...but then I thought, 'No. Magnus wouldn't go for such an airhead. I must be reading her wrong'....and...and... Magnus, you're scaring me! Are you going to have an overload? Should I call First Aid?"

"Call him. Call First Aid. Tell him you need him to bring you back from the dead. I'm going to kill you! I'm doing everyone a favor!" Magnus said, laughing maniacally.

"Errr..." Rodimus said, wondering if he'd just lost his City Commander to the realms of insanity forever.

"I can't believe you let her transfer here!" Magnus accused, sounding a bit more like himself all of a sudden.

"MAGNUS! She claims you're mates! Did you expect me to turn down YOUR MATE when she and I quote 'wants to be near her chosen love?' Magnus! She nearly swooned on my desk! What was I supposed to think?"

"You don't think. You never think! What am I going to do? How many people has she told?" Magnus asked harshly. He looked for a chair to flop into and found it twisted up on the other side of the room. He glared at Rodimus accusingly for that too.

Rodimus was clearly reluctant to answer that question.

"Rod-i-mus....? How....many?"

"Ermmm...." Rodimus said. "Well...umm...do you mean before or after the broadcast?"

"BROADCAST?!"

"I don't think the Earth Networks have gotten it yet!" Rodimus supplied helpfully.

"YET!?"

Rodimus hurriedly handed Magnus his mangled chair to throw all over again. Assassin or no, Rodimus sensed if he hadn't, the next thing thrown into the wall would have been his very own self. Actually, Magnus didn't throw the chair this time. He held it over his head and slammed it repeatedly into the wall. Rodimus flinched in time with the impacts.

Suddenly the tantrum was over with. Magnus turned on him again.

"She's coming here."

"Yeah," Rodimus said.

"When?" Magnus asked.

"Today," Rodimus answered.

"OK. Fine. Good. If she wants me, she going to get...me!" Magnus said.

Rodimus suddenly felt the need to really smile.

x

x

x

They had just about gotten all the furniture replaced when Marissa joined them. She seemed a bit pale.

"Hi Rodimus. Hello Magnus. I heard the good news. Congratulations," she said, with a wide smile.

"Congratulate me when this nightmare is over," Magnus growled.

"Easy, Big Guy. We don't have any more replacement desks," Rodimus said with a laugh.

Marissa looked confused. "I don't...I don't understand," she said. She had just spent three hours crying her eyes out and trying to compose herself for this. All of the rationalizing hadn't helped her heart accept this. Knowing she couldn't have him mated or not didn't ease the pain at all either. She was just determined to act happy for him. She wanted him to be happy even if it couldn't be with her, but it had still be hard to stop crying. She faced the prospect of working with him daily, never being able to say anything to him. It was a bleak prospect, and she wondered how Rodimus managed to wear his masks so well everyday. It made her want to ask him for advise but she couldn't do that either.

"You tell her, or we're going to need to get another desk," Magnus said.

"He's not mated, Marissa. Neon's a space-case. He spent the whole evening ignoring her, and just nodding at intervals. Apparently, he nodded the rest of his life away!" Rodimus said, with a faint, suspicious quaver in his voice.

"If you don't quit snickering about it I really am going to kill you Rodimus," Magnus stated conversationally. He glared at his leader, who smirked back. As a result they both missed Marissa flushing and then turning very pale again.

She took a deep, uncertain breath. "Oh. I'm sorry!"

"I'm not!" Magnus said. That femme is an accident waiting to happen! Me! Mated! Can you even imagine it?"

"No," Rodimus said with a grin. Magnus glared at him again.

"B...but you DESERVE to be happy Magnus," Marissa said. The arguments she had been screaming at herself for the last hours wouldn't be silenced so easily. "You should have someone to share your life!"

"She's trying to get rid of me already, Rodimus," Magnus said with a wink. He was feeling much better now that they had a plan for handling Neon. In fact he looked forward to her arrival now. "Between you and me Marissa, I've got more than enough interference with my life standing right here in this room!"

"Ha!" Rodimus gloated, "As if any female with brains would have you anyway! Hey Marissa? Are you OK? You look a little washed out."

"Yeah, sure Rodi. I'm fine. I'm just ...fine," Marissa said.


	3. Chapter 3

**Maelstrom 6**

**Dating: Part 3**

Author's note: This story is part of a LONG series called Maelstrom. It is strictly Gen. 1 - sorry, but that was all that was out when I started writing back in the late 1980's. It began as a fan-publication so the first chapters are in the form of a comic book! If you have not read the nine original **Maelstrom Comics** and the preceding text stories, I strongly suggest you do. This is a complex universe. They can be found at http// illmatar. deviantart. com (I have put double spaces between the addy here or FF . Net eats the link.) The comics and art which accompanies this series are there...and believe me I am a better artist than writer.

**Most chapters of this series contain strong language and violence. Rated M for adult themes! Really! Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Critiques adored!**

When Neon's shuttle landed she was trembling with suppressed energy. She reminded herself firmly to maintain the decorum fitting of someone mated to nearly the highest ranking officer in the Autobot army. She was expecting some kind of welcoming committee however. She got off the ship. No one was there. WELL! Heads would surely roll when her mate found out who got the arrival time wrong! She strode into Metroplex as if she owned it and was incensed when none of the busy Autobots scurrying around paid her the slightest heed.

She stopped one as he went by.

"You!" she said, addressing the tall red robot. "Who are you?"

"Howdy, little lady! This's Blaster here to make your day! What can I do for you?"

"I'm Neon," she said self importantly. The name did not have the impact she was hoping for. She expected him to act surprised, upset, something - anything like you would assume someone would act if he just missed the arrival of his commanding officer's mate.

Instead he acted.....a little amused.

"Oh YOU'RE Neon! New recruits report to Kup for room assignments and duty rosters. Follow the maps on the walls to the security office," Blaster said.

She didn't like the twinkle in his optic one little bit.

"Where is Ultra Magnus?" she said huffily.

"Oh, he's in a meeting with the Captain and the young Boss. Now outta my way, little lady! It's a busy day!"

"Well!" Neon said, "Incompetents like that will just have to go! My mate is just too soft on his people if they get away with that kind of thing!"

By the end of the day, Neon was convinced most of Metroplex's permanent staff would have to go. She felt she was treated with indifference wherever she went -- meaning basically she was treated like any new addition to Metroplex's staff. No one was really rude, but they didn't treat her like royalty either. Kup refused to let her put her belongings in Magnus' quarters. He assigned her standard rooms (much smaller in Metroplex than those on Cybertron) and duties fitting a Autobot of her rank and qualifications. She regarded that as his "putting her in a closet for slave labor!" He had informed her the City Commander would be in to inspect her quarters at the end of the day, and suggested she get her gear stowed as fast as possible. Partly in anger, and partly in spite (to show Kup she could do as she pleased in HER mate's city) she threw her things all over the place.

Kup heard her at it and smiled to himself. He smiled wider when he saw Magnus and Rodimus waiting around the corner.

"Are you going to do it now?" Kup asked.

Rodimus shrugged and looked at Magnus.

"Let her stew until morning," Magnus snarled. "When's she due on duty?"

"First shift," Kup said.

"Perfect," Magnus said.

"You're bad," Rodimus said. He grinned proudly.

"I have your fine example to live up to, Hot Rod," Magnus said.

"You're both crazy," Kup said. For once though he seemed to approve.

x

x

x

The next morning when Neon reported two minutes late for her shift Magnus was more than ready. Rodimus leaned on one of the consoles and watched Magnus carefully position himself opposite the door - a foreboding tower of merciless doom. Rodi grinned to himself, remembering facing that tower himself more than a few times as Hot Rod. He briefly wondered if the fact he'd survived relatively unscathed was part of why the Matrix had chosen him. Anyone who could survive that! He tried to feel sorry for Neon but failed miserably. If you wanted to work in Metroplex, you had to put up with the Major General, simple as that.

"Ultra Magnus!" Neon said with delight, as she sauntered in.

"You're late," Magnus said grimly.

"I had to be sure I was ready for you Magnus," Neon said with a seductive wink. Rodimus raised an eyebrow, but Magnus' expression didn't even twitch.

"No one who shows up late for duty in my base is ready for me, Neon," Magnus said.

"My aren't you a grouchy boy this morning!" Neon said. Rodimus caught the slight widening of Magnus' optics and cringed.

Right on cue Magnus erupted. Almost every new addition to Metroplex suffered at least one such tirade before they adjusted to the standards Magnus set for his city. The only real difference was that most of them were prepared for it. Everyone knew Metroplex was the foundation of the Autobots' defenses on Earth and no one expected to be allowed any slack. Magnus' reputation was well known and most Autobots were responsible enough to know it was not only justified that he expect the best from them, it was crucial. Neon on the other hand was expecting special treatment - something he wouldn't have given her even if they had been mated.

Magnus tore into Neon like she was the rawest of recruits. He rebuked her for everything from the her tardiness to the way she stood at attention when he rebuked her for not doing that from the beginning. Used to Elita's small band, Neon was very out of practice saluting and standing at attention. She hadn't done it in centuries. Somehow the very idea that she would be expected to follow military protocols had never crossed her mind. She had been thinking in terms of redecorating Metroplex not in terms of living in an operational military complex. In her mind the war was over and Metroplex was just a really big dwelling to settle down in.

Magnus took sadistic pleasure in enlightening her.

At one point, Neon looked to Rodimus for support. She couldn't believe her "mate" was treating her this way and expected some kind of defense from the personable young Prime. He looked at her in surprise, as though he couldn't understand why she seemed upset. It was actually a good performance on his part. What Rodimus really wanted to do was laugh at her especially when he could see Blaster, Blurr, Kup, Springer and a few others making excuses to walk by the open door to watch and snicker behind Neon's back. Magnus was more than their City Commander - he was their friend - and they were not kindly disposed to Neon for embarrassing him.

By the time Magnus was done with her in the command center she was nearly in surges. By the time he was done inspecting her quarters she was in a rage.

"How DARE you speak to me this way you cretin!" Neon snapped when he told her her pretty metal sculptures were against regs and would have to go. No one got between Neon and her sense of good taste.

Magnus grinned inwardly, and threatened to bring her up on insubordination charges.

"OOOooo!" Neon fumed. "I simply will not put up with this kind of treatment!"

Magnus suggested she join the Decepticons.

"THAT'S IT! I'M ANNULLING OUR VOWS!" Neon cried.

Rodimus was fairly certain he saw Magnus nearly jump for joy.

"Oh, no. Anything but that," Magnus said flatly.

"It's too late, Mr. City Commander! Rodimus! I want an immediate transfer back to Cybertron!"

Rodimus couldn't help himself, "Well...I don't know....I went to a lot of trouble getting you here..."

Magnus' hands actually jerked towards Rodi's neck before he controlled himself. Rodimus managed not to crack up entirely.

"No! I simply can not abide being here one single minute longer!" Neon said, as though it was the most important issue Rodimus would ever have to deal with.

"I suppose...if you really feel that strongly about it," Rodimus said, still sounding reluctant. Magnus leaned towards him with an expression that was half cry for mercy and half death threat. "OK Neon. I'm sorry things didn't work out. Pack up, and we'll have you back on Cybertron in a few days...err, hours!"

"I should hope so!" Neon cried. "OUT! Leave me in peace to pack! I'll never forgive you for this, Ultra Magnus! Never!"

Incredibly, she nearly pushed them out the door. She couldn't slam it of course, but she left the impression that she did.

"Ah shall never forgive you, you brute, you cad!" Rodimus said, holding one hand to his forehead dramatically and pretending to swoon. Rodi did a pretty poor Scarlet O'Hara, but Magnus laughed anyway.


End file.
